Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-01-05
A Graphic Account.


CLEVELAND, O., January A special
dispatch to the Cleveland Leader from
Tifin, O., gives the following graphic ae-
count of the collision One of the most
horrible and heartrending accidents ever
chronicled occurred near Republic, about
eight miles east OF here, at = o'clock this
morning. At l o'clock an east-bound
freight train, in charge of Conductor
Fletcher, pulled out of this city, having
received orders to side track at the Scipio
siding, to allow the east-bound express to
pass. After the passenger train had gone
the conductor, being without special orders,
exercised his own judgment, and deter
mined that, inasmuch as he had half an
hour to make the switch at Republic, a
little less than five miles distant, before
the arrival of the fast experts from the
East, due at that point at 2O'clOck, he
pulled out. The night was bitter cold,
and much difficulty was experienced in
keeping up steam in the engine. Finally,
at point half mile west of Republic, the
train came to standstill, being unable to
move further. Just here was mide
THE HORRIBLE MISTAKE,
which resulted in the loss of nhny lives.
and the destruction of thousandt of dollars
worth of property. Although the con-
ductOr must have known that he was en-
croaching dangerously near the tine of the
express, he did not send out siglal until
after his train had come to q standtill and
he found it impossible to move. 'urther.
He then started forward with the antern
himself. At this point there ka shap
curve, and Conductor Fletcher had lot pro-
ceeded more than the length of tweny cars
when he saw the the headlight of he ap-
preaching express rounding the curry, not
more than forty yards distant, ant run
ming at the lightning speed of
sIXTY-THREE MILES PER HOUR.
Horror stricken with the knowledge hat
a frightful accident could not be avered.
he flashed his light in the face of the n
gineer, Lem Eastman. The latter at he
same moment saw the light of the freiet
engine, and giving wild shrek of te
whistle for brakes he reversed his engin,
and jumped for his life, crashing throug
the window Of the cab, carrying glass ant
sash with him and alighted in u heavy
snow drift. He escaped serious injury, his
hurts being confined to q slight wound up
on the knee. AS he realized the
danger, he called to his fire.
man, William Fredericks, to save himself.
The latter was engaged in stoking the fire
and raised up and hesitated moment to
glance forward as if to estimate the dan
ger. This was fatal, as at that instant the
crash came and poor Fredericks was pinned
and crushed by the mass of the wreck.
The effect OF the collision can be better
imagined than described. The engines of
the two trains reared into the air
LIKE A PAIR OF ENRAGED LIVING Mon
STEERS
and then settled down upon the track.
driven into each other until the cylinders
touched. In less than five minutes from
the moment OF the collision, and before
any organized effort at rescue could be
made, the fire Of the overturned
stoves communicated to the woodwork and
the flames leaped high in the air, their roar
mingling with the cries of anguish of the
imprisoned victims to whom death in its
most terrible form was horrid presence.
The tralnmen and uniDjured passengers
were powerless, and could do nothing to
rescue the sufferers.
THE CREWS.
The express train was IN charge of Con-
ductOr Tom Heskett, Engineer Lem East
man and Fireman VIM. Frederick, and
consisted Ofan engine, No. 729, a mail and
baggage car express, smoker, coach and
two Sleepers.
The freight train was in charge of Con.
ductOr Fletcher, Engineer Killer and Fire
man w. J. Cullison, and consisted
of Engine No. 925, and sixteen loaded and
a few empty gondolas. The smoker con-
tained from twelve to fifteen passengers,
some of whom were immigrants. Three
men escaped alive, but their names were
not learned.
Baggage Master w. E. GATES, of New
ark, was the only man in his car. and he
was hurt in both legs.
c. p. BRADLEY, of Washington, D. c.,
was found hanging from the window of
the smoker, but his legs were fast and he
could not be removed, where he remained
until he was burned to death.
JOS. PosTLETHwAITE, aged 81, and his
sons SPENCER, aged Is, and HENRY, aged
II, were sitting in the same seat in the
smoker, and their charred remains were
found in the ruins of the car.
: THE POsTLETHwAITES.
Mr.. POstlethwaite, his wife, the two
boys, a seven-year-old girl by former
wife and little boy of years, and baby
girl Of two years, had sold their farm of
1S0 acres in Wetzel county, W. Va, and
were moving to Chillicothe, Mo. He had
about $500 in cash, check for 5000 and
several notes in his pocket, and these
were burned with his BODY,
leaving the poor widow with
three children, and no clothing except
what she wore, and fifty cents in money.
Her husband and the two boys had left her
but few moments before and gone from
the coach to the smoker. Postlethwaite,
as half melted medal found in the wreck
indicated was Soldier in the Union
ranks in the late war, being a member OF
Company A, Seventeenth Regiment West
Virginia Volunteer Infantry.
WM. FREDRICKs,
tiremen of the express was caught be-
tween the tender and the engine and lived
for two hours, but it was found impossi
BILE TO affect his release. His mother, is q
widow, and lives in Washington, d. C.
His face in death depicted the agony OF
his sufferings before death came to his re-
lief
NJ. II. PARKS, whose address could not
be learned was also wedged in the wreck
and burned to death after handing
his money, letters and cards
to one of the railroad
employees. His body was also consumed,
as were those of several Others, whose
names are unknown and perhaps never
will he known. When your reporter
reached the scene of the holocaust at /
o'clock to-day, the ruins of the baggage, ex-
press cars and smoker and coaches were still
burning and scores of hands were endeav-
oring TO clear the track. here and there
could be seen spots of blood and pieces OF
HALF BURNED AND FROZEN HUMAN
FLESH,
and the workmen were still finding Dor.
tons Of bodies m the burning wreck.